Bryan Mersol is a junior finance major at John Carroll. His passion? JCU’s Paranormal Research Group–Boo Streaks for short. Bryan serves as the president for the club, which he explains is practically a full time occupation.
He explains that he has always had an interest in the paranormal, but he never was involved in anything quite like the Boo Streaks until coming to university. As a freshman, one of his friends convinced him to attend a meeting. He was instantly drawn to the passion and the camaraderie of the group. Since then, he’s been hooked!
According to Bryan, there are four primary components of the club: investigations, meetings, special events, and evidence reviews.
The club offers a variety of special events each semester. They host many guest speakers who have experience with the paranormal, and they hold group presentations to teach others about their passions. As a perk of the being a member, the club often gets free tickets to the premiers of horror movie showings in the area. Primarily, the goal of the special events is to educate the John Carroll community and to build a strong bond between the group members.
Meetings are a place where you can sit down, bond, and talk with like-minded individuals. So, do you have to believe in ghosts to attend? Bryan promises that’s not the case. He explains, “Skeptics and believers can come together. It’s an unbiased view of the paranormal, and it’s grounded on credibility.” At a meeting, you can expect to discuss the experiences of your peers, research, and complete basic training for the investigation equipment.
The equipment is extensive. The Paranormal Research Group has traditional equipment like audio recorders, cameras, and video recorders. But, it also has highly specialized equipment that need more training to use, like ghost and spirit boxes, Electromagnetic Frequency Detectors, and Hunting Cameras.
Arguably the most interesting part of the group is the investigations. The group goes on approximately 3-4 investigations each semester, and each year they try to go on one big investigation–occasionally out of state! Bryan views the investigations as experiments. He says that the group always goes in with an open mind.
At every investigation, the group tests the methods of other researchers in the field. Every member is assigned a job, and they take meticulous notes and data throughout the experience.
The final component of the club is the evidence review. It’s exactly what it sounds like! Although not mandatory, many members of the club devote a significant chunk of time going through hours of video footage, photos, and any collected data.
When asked about his favorite memory of the club, Bryan immediately mentioned the investigation of the Cleveland Agora Theater. The investigation of the haunted local theater was the last investigation with the founders of the club. The experience of watching the seniors mentor the new members was inspiring. He strongly admires their hard work, and he wants to continue to foster the tight knit community of the group.
Still not convinced? Bryan explains that not many people know they exist on campus, and he encourages everyone to come to a meeting. “It’s a free resource!,” he exclaims. And honestly? What’s not to like about free?
If you are interested in finding out more check out the Paranormal Research Groups social media pages!